Lil '59 Adjustment Help - Pole Pieces Specifically

[hareek]

Hey All,

Ok so I tried to search existing threads and did not find exactly what I was looking for. When I put SD's in my strat (Lil 59 neck and bridge, Duckbucker in middle) I never really paid close attention to adjusting them properly. I just installed them, roughly tweaked the overall height a bit for volume evenness, and moved on. Now, I've really started reading up more on exactly how to set them properly and feel I need to make some adjustments.

I went to fender's website and got their recommendations for humbucker pickup height. Contrary to single coils, humbuckers it looks like should be even in height between the low and high strings (single coils should be slanted). I'll check the height when I get home and make sure the distance from strings to the top of pole pieces is correct.

However, I do remember adjusting some of the pole pieces, I think only on the duckbucker, but feel I should start over from square one which I'm assuming is "factory defaults."

My first question is how are the pole pieces originally set from the factory...all the way flat?

My second question, depending on the answer to the first one, is should I adjust the pole pieces themselves and what is my goal in doing so? Volume balance?

I'm somewhat of a noob still in this area so thanks in advance for the help and education.

-anthony

 

[Varg]

Re: Lil '59 Adjustment Help - Pole Pieces Specifically

There's only ONE hard and fast way to do this:

By ear.

 

[hareek]

Re: Lil '59 Adjustment Help - Pole Pieces Specifically

There's only ONE hard and fast way to do this:

By ear.

Agreed, but again do the pole pieces come set a certain height? I'm just trying to determine a frame of reference for a starting point so I understand what I'm doing. Also trying to understand what players are listening for by ear when adjusting the pieces...is it volume, tone, or both?

 

[Varg]

Re: Lil '59 Adjustment Help - Pole Pieces Specifically

What are you listening for? What sounds good to you.

Do the poles come at a set height? Every guitar is different, and will need setup slightly differently so it makes no difference how the poles come from the factory.

There may be something that says each pole should be X/X of an inch/mm away from the string or whatever, but the best thing to do is just set it however it looks right to you initially (not too close to the string, not too far either), then take it from there by ear.

Some guitars/pickup configs, in my experience don't need a lot of tweaking - the "sweet spots" are big enough its easy to find. More rarely, it takes a bit more messing around.
Overall, I don't worry much about it. Just use your ears, find a sound you like and stick with it.